To Infinity and Beyond
by Lollipop1141
Summary: In which Lance decides to be a farmer and Keith has thoughts. Post Canon AU.


Keith watched him chatter away. The skin under his eyes were rid of dark bags, but there were lines there - lines that Keith was sure Lance would have been adamant on getting rid of.

As much as Keith loved to see Lance finally having a break, it was wrong. It felt wrong. It was as though he was wearing a pair of mismatched socks.

Where did the second impulsive pilot go? The boy wanting to shoot for the stars? Whose smile grows impossibly wide at the feel of the controls underneath his fingertips? Whose lungs fill with laughter as he flies, leaving the ground hundreds of miles beneath him?

Where was his right-hand man? Where was his best friend? Where was Lance?

Three years had passed. The war may have been over, people may have slowly moved on, but at least they were healing. All, Keith could see, except him.

Lance was in front of him, but he was an empty shell of his former youth.

"What are you doing, Lance?"

Lance paused. He couldn't pretend not to know what Keith was talking about. They knew each other too well.

"You know what I'm doing," Lance replied, not looking at him. "I'm planting flowers."

"She wouldn't want this."

Lench clenched his jaw. "What do you know, mullet."

The nickname. Keith felt a small hope rise. The old Lance was still in there.

"You're just running away from your grief." Keith said blunty, then winced as Lance glared at him.

Lance straightened up and faced him. "What? Are you saying that farming isn't a good enough career? What if I told you that I don't want any grand ending for a Defend of the Universe? What if I just want to relax and stay away?"

"Stay away from what? From everyone? From me? From New Altea?" Keith took a step forward. "I don't know what you want, but I know it isn't this."

Lance clenched his fists and Keith felt a rush of their old banter. C'mon. Fight back.

But then Lance sighed, his shoulders sagging. "I don't want to fight you, Keith. And I don't want to go back to the war either."

"The war is over, Lance." Keith said gently. "The universe is safe. There is nothing keeping you here."

Lance looked over the pink fields. "But Allura-"

"Allura is gone." Keith reached out and touched Lance's Altean markings. "But she's still with you - she's still with all of us."

Lance didn't say anything, just twirling the juniberry in his hand. Keith looked at it and said softly, "I know that Allura would've loved the flowers. But I don't think she'd want this for you."

Keith started at the tears spilling from Lance's eyes, but held his tongue and waited.

"I'm scared." Lance finally said. "If I leave - it's like I'm moving on. That I won't love her any more."

"Lance, moving on is the only thing we can do." Keith said. "We can lose people we love - but we still have to keep living while we're alive. And I-" He grabbed Lance's wrist with a sort of desperation, "I won't let you lose yourself over someone who can't come back.

"I know you loved Allura. I know you won't be able to forget her," Keith turned his wrist over and held his palm between his hands, "but I want you to start loving yourself. You deserve more than this. You deserve more than what this world can offer. You deserve to be happy."

Keith swept his arm over the field. "But this? I know it's peaceful. I know it's a quiet life. But it's small for you. And I think you know that as well."

Lance stared at him, blue eyes glimmering with emotions unsaid. Keith met his gaze with fire in violet irises. "Stop denying yourself from what you have always wanted."

Lance looked around, as if seeing it all for the first time. He asked quietly, "So what do you suggest? Where do we go?"

We. Hope filled Keith's entire being. "To infinity and beyond."

Lance gaped and then snorted. "Did you just quote Toy Story on me?"

Keith shrugged, but there was a smile tugging at the ends of his lips. Lance wiped the tears from his eyes and looked up at the sky - at the space beyond that. Something stirred within him - something he had buried and ignored for three years. A fire so passionate and a longing so earnest.

"Well," Lance stretched and rested his hands on his hips, "When are we leaving, Woody?"

Keith's eyebrow twitched. "Woody?"

"Oh please, as if you can hide that cowboy vibe from me." Lance teased. "You're from Texas."

"My dad's from Texas. I live in Arizona." Keith grumbled, suddenly regretting letting slip that information. They stood side by side, contemplating the moment.

"So," Lance bumped his shoulder, "To the stars?"

"Whenever you're ready." Keith said.

Lance took one last look at the flower in his hand before resting it with the rest of the freshly cut juniberries.

"I was born ready."

And honestly? Lance was ready. He had been waiting for this, aching for it. He didn't want to leave, but he longed for space more. And that was okay.

Without a look back, Lance took the step forward alongside Keith. He was moving on, but he wouldn't be alone taking it. They were better together after all.

They made a good team - Lance and Keith.


End file.
